The present invention relates to an illumination control method and an illumination device for changing various illumination conditions in association with images and sounds.
Technologies have vigorously been developed in the video and audio field since the advent of the multi-media age. Particularly, large-sized displays provide realistic and powerful images which people can enjoy even at home. In future, techniques for improving the realism of images displayed on image display devices are expected to be indispensable for the purpose of more effective utilization of multi-media.
At present, since large-sized screens are the most effective means for improving realism, large and thin displays having low cost have been vigorously researched and developed.
Sound provides a significant influence on the atmosphere of a room. Therefore, it is considered that sounds are useful for an improvement in realism when viewing and hearing an image display device. Conventionally, a stereo technique using a pair of speakers (recently, a surrounding sound technique using additional speakers at the rear of an appreciator, and the like) have been developed. It is natural that the increased number of speakers leads to an improvement in realism. At present, however, taking actual cost into account, techniques for improving realism have been researched using a smaller number of speakers.
In addition to sound, illumination is also a factor that has a significant influence on the atmosphere of a room. Effects of illumination are supported by the fact that illumination effects, such as stage illumination play, an important role in stage performance. Thus, if the illumination having a significant influence on the room atmosphere is controlled in association with the screen of an image display device, realism may be enhanced when viewing the image display device. For example, when the large-sized screen of a high-definition TV provides a scene in which the sun is setting in the Mediterranean sea, the color temperature of illumination in a room is gradually decreased and the illuminance is also decreased as the screen gradually becomes reddish and dark. In this situation, the appreciator obtains realism as if he/she were in the image scene.
The technique for improving the realism of the image display device using illumination may not require a large-sized image. Resources and costs required for production of a small-sized illumination device are very small as compared with a large-sized image display device. Therefore, the technique for improving realism using illumination may significantly contribute to cost reduction, saving of energy, and conservation of global environment.
To date, there have been no attempts to put such an idea into practical use. However, there are some conventional related techniques.
As a first conventional technique, Japanese Laid-open Publication No. 2-158094 (Japanese Publication for Opposition No. 8-12793) discloses a xe2x80x9cvariable light color illumination devicexe2x80x9d. As a second conventional technique, Japanese Laid-open Publication No. 3-184203 (Japanese Publication for Opposition No. 8-15004) discloses a xe2x80x9cvariable light color illumination devicexe2x80x9d. Both publications relate to an illumination device for improving realism in viewing an image display device by controlling illumination in association with images on the image display device.
The illumination device in the first conventional technique includes an RGB signal output section, a Y (brightness) signal output section, a light mixture ratio control section, and a color illumination output section. The illumination device is connected to an image display device. The illumination device receives an RGB signal and a luminance signal for each pixel on the screen of the image display device, and obtains an average chromaticity and an average brightness of the whole screen. Based on the average chromaticity and luminance, an appropriate chromaticity and luminance are calculated for interior illumination. The outputs of the respective monochromatic fluorescent lamps of RGB included in the illumination output section are controlled in such a manner as to attain the appropriate chromaticity and illuminance.
The second conventional technique has substantially the same features as that of the first conventional technique, except that: the second conventional technique does not simply calculate the average chromaticity and the average brightness of the whole screen of the image display device; instead, pixels in portions having flesh color are removed from a human face or the like in an image displayed on the screen of the image display device, and the remainder of the image is regarded as a background; and the RGB signal and the luminance signal of each pixel in the background is taken, and based on the signals the average chromaticity and the average brightness are calculated.
As for a specific illumination control technique, an illumination control method is disclosed in which illumination is controlled so that the chromaticity and brightness of a wall surface at the rear of the image display device are equal to the average chromaticity and brightness of the whole screen or the background excluding a human flesh color.
As a third conventional technique, Japanese Laid-open Publication No. 2-253503 discloses an xe2x80x9cimage performance illumination devicexe2x80x9d. Similar to the above-described first and second conventional techniques, interior illumination is controlled in association with an image on the screen of the image display device. Note that the third conventional technique differs from the above-described first and second conventional techniques in that a plurality of light sources are used. As a specific illumination control technique, an illumination control technique is disclosed in which the screen of the image display device is divided into portions; an average hue is detected for each portion; and illumination is controlled so that the hue of an illumination light source corresponding to each portion is the same as that of each portion.
As a fourth conventional technique, Japanese Laid-open Publication No. 7-264620 discloses a xe2x80x9cmethod and device for reproducing an imagexe2x80x9d Similar to the above-described first, second, and third conventional techniques, interior illumination is controlled in association with an image on the screen of the image-display device. Note that the fourth conventional technique differs from the above-described first, second, and third conventional techniques in that illumination conditions of a space, in which an image reproduction device, such as an image display device, exists are changed in such a manner as to conform to illumination conditions of a space in which a target object in an image displayed on the image display device exists and in which the target object is imaged.
As a fifth conventional technique, Japanese Laid-open Publication No. 6-267664 discloses an xe2x80x9cillumination system for televisionxe2x80x9d. Similar to the above-described first, second, third, and fourth conventional techniques, interior illumination is controlled in association with an image on the screen of the image display device. Note that the fifth conventional technique differs from the above-described first, second, third, and fourth conventional techniques in that for each pixel in an image on the image display device the outputs of the R-G-B monochromatic fluorescent lamps included in an illumination output section are adjusted in accordance with the magnitudes of the R-G-B signals, respectively, thereby enhancing the purity of colors in the image.
For example, the above-described Publication describes that when a red rose is displayed on the image display device, the output of a fluorescent lamp of R (red) is enhanced, whereby the purity of red in the screen of the image display device is prevented from being decreased due to outside light.
The above-described conventional techniques, particularly the first through third conventional techniques, disclose the idea that interior illumination is controlled in association with the screen of the image display device, which is a valued idea. As for a structure of an illumination device for enhancing realism, the above-described conventional techniques are only describes as including a simple configuration in which the dimmer level of each lamp is arbitrarily changed by combining the RGB monochromatic fluorescent lamps. The above-described conventional techniques lack specificity.
In other words, although the idea that interior illumination is controlled in association with the screen of the image display device has previously been proposed for enhancing realism, no specific means for enhancing realism has been established. No specific structure of an illumination device for enhancing realism has been disclosed.
The present invention is provided to solute the above-described problems. The objective of the present invention is to provide an illumination control method and an illumination device capable of enhancing the realism of an image displayed on the screen of an image display device by controlling illumination of an appreciation space in association with the image on the image display device.
An illumination control method of the present invention comprises the step of: controlling illumination of an appreciation space in association with an image displayed on an image display device in such a manner as to enhance a realism of the image displayed on a screen of the image display device, wherein an appreciator appreciating the image is in the appreciation space, thereby achieving the above-described objective.
In the illumination control step, at least one of a level, a light color, a luminous intensity distribution, and a direction of light output from one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space may be controlled so that an illumination impression to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with an illumination impression of a virtual image space imaginarily created from the image displayed on the image display device.
Alternatively, in the illumination control step, one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space may be controlled so that at least one parameter of a level, a light color, a luminous intensity distribution; and a direction of illumination to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with a corresponding parameter of a virtual image space imaginarily created from the image displayed on the image display device.
An illuminance of the appreciation space may be controlled so as to substantially be coincident with an illuminance of an illumination impression of the virtual image space so that a level of the illumination to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with a level of illumination to the virtual image space.
Alternatively, the one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space may be controlled so that 0 less than Lxe2x80x2 less than 1.25xc2x7L is satisfied where L (cd/m2) is the luminance of a pixel having the highest luminance of all pixels in the image displayed on the image display device, and Lxe2x80x2 (cd/m2) is a luminance of a peripheral visual field of the image display device.
The one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space may be controlled so that 0 less than Lxe2x80x2 less than 1.25xc2x7L is satisfied where L (cd/m2) is the luminance of a pixel having the highest luminance of all pixels in a background excluding a main target of the image displayed on the image display device, and Lxe2x80x2 (cd/m2) is a luminance of a peripheral visual field of the image display device.
A chromaticity of illumination of the appreciation space may be controlled so as to substantially be coincident with a chromaticity of illumination of the virtual image space so that a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with a light color of illumination of the virtual image space.
A light color of illumination to the appreciation space may be controlled so as to have substantially the same category as that of a color of a part of the image displayed on the image display device, and therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.
Chromaticities of the one or more light sources may be controlled in association with the image so that: a hue of a chromaticity of a peripheral visual field of the image display device is substantially the same on a chromaticity diagram as a hue of an average chromaticity of all pixels of the image displayed on the image display device; a color saturation of the chromaticity of the peripheral visual field of the image display device is less than or equal to, on a chromaticity diagram, a color saturation of an average chromaticity of all pixels of the image displayed on the image display device; and therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.
Alternatively, chromaticities of the one or more light sources may be controlled in association with the image so that: a hue of a chromaticity of a peripheral visual field of the image display device is substantially the same on a chromaticity diagram as a hue of an average chromaticity of pixels of a background excluding a main target of the image displayed on the image display device; a color saturation of the chromaticity of the peripheral visual field of the image display device is less than or equal to, on a chromaticity diagram, a color saturation of an average chromaticity of the pixels of the background excluding the main target of the image displayed on the image display device; and therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.
Chromaticities of the one or more light sources may be controlled in association with the image so that a hue of a chromaticity of a peripheral visual field of the image display device is substantially opposite on a chromaticity diagram to a hue of an average chromaticity of all pixels of the image displayed on the image display device, and therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.
Alternatively, chromaticities of the one or more light sources may be controlled in association with the image so that a hue of a chromaticity of a peripheral visual field of the image display device is substantially opposite on a chromaticity diagram to a hue of an average chromaticity of pixels of a background excluding a main target of the image displayed on the image display device, and therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.
Outputs and light colors of the one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space may be controlled in accordance with a luminance distribution state of the image displayed on the image display device so that a light color, a level distribution, and a direction of illumination to the appreciation space are made substantially coincident with a light color, a level distribution, and a direction of illumination to the virtual image space.
A light source of the virtual image space is detected, a distribution and a direction of light in the virtual image space may be predicted based on a luminance, a light color, and a position of the detected light source, outputs and light colors of the one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space may be controlled to realize a light color distribution and a luminance distribution obtained by extrapolating the predicted results into the appreciation space so that a direction and a distribution of illumination to the appreciation space are made substantially coincident with a direction and a distribution of illumination to the virtual image space.
For example, the one or more light sources are provided at a rear or periphery of the image display device.
When the peripheral visual field of the image display device is divided into a plurality of visual field categories based on a visual function of a human, the categories including an effective visual field section, a guide visual field section, and an auxiliary visual field section, and at least one of the one or more light sources may be assigned to each of the plurality of visual field categories.
A light source of the one or more light sources illuminating an effective visual field section may be a multi-function light source.
For example, a brightness of the multi-function light source illuminating the effective visual field section may be greater than a brightness of a light source illuminating other visual fields.
A light source of the one or more light sources for illuminating a guide visual field section may be provided at high density, and on-off operation of the light source is finely controlled.
The image displayed on the image display device may be substantially evenly divided into 3 portions including an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion, information on each of the upper portion, the middle portion, and the lower portion may be reflected in at least one of the effective visual field section; a guide visual field section, and an auxiliary visual field section so that a level, a light color, a distribution, and a direction of illumination to the appreciation space are made substantially coincident with a level, a light color, a distribution, and a direction of illumination to the virtual image space.
A light color and a luminance level of a light source of the one or more light sources for illuminating a guide visual field section maybe individually adjusted; the light source may be attached to a periphery or vicinity of the image display device; the light color and the luminance level of the light source may be controlled to be coincident with a light color and a luminance level of a pixel in a peripheral edge portion of the image displayed on the image display device so that a level, a light color, a distribution, and a direction of illumination to the appreciation space are made substantially coincident with a level, a light color, a distribution, and a direction of illumination to the virtual image space.
A condition of the illumination may be changed substantially in synchronization with the image displayed on the image display device so that a delay in the change of the condition of the illumination is less than or equal to one second with respect to a change in the image.
Image data may be stored in a storage medium so that the illumination is synchronized with the displaying of the image on the image display device at an arbitrary timing and therefore the condition of the illumination is changed substantially in synchronization with the image.
A predetermined relaxation-type illumination control method may be applied to a dramatically changing image.
For example, in the predetermined relaxation-type illumination control method, a variation frequency of the illumination may be adjusted in such a manner so as not to fall in a frequency range causing a human to sense flicker.
Alternatively, in the predetermined relaxation type illumination control method of the present invention, the illumination may be changed when a change in the image exceeds a predetermined threshold.
Alternatively, in the predetermined relaxation type illumination control method of the present invention, when the image may be changed, the illumination is changed in accordance with an average value of a vicinity of the change over a predetermined period of time.
A predetermined adaptation adjusting means for preventing an appearance of a reduction in color saturation on the screen caused by the eyes of a human adapting a single light color dominating a significant portion of the image displayed on the image display device, may be employed.
The illumination may be controlled using a predetermined control method when a luminance level of the image displayed on the image display image is low and a chromaticity thereof is a low color saturation.
An illumination device of the present invention comprises means for controlling illumination of an appreciation space in association with an image displayed on an image display device in such a manner as to enhance a realism of the image displayed on a screen of the image display device, wherein an appreciator appreciating the image is in the appreciation space, thereby achieving the above-described objective.
In one embodiment, the above-described illumination device of the present invention comprises: a reproduction section for reproducing a predetermined signal; a data storage device; an illumination control section; an illumination output section; and an image/sound output section, wherein the image/sound output section functions as the image display device.
In another embodiment, the above-described illumination device of the present invention comprises: a reception section for receiving a predetermined signal; a reproduction section for reproducing the predetermined signal; an image/sound output section; an analysis section for analyzing the predetermined signal; an illumination control section; and an illumination output section, wherein the image/sound output section functions as the image display device.
In still another embodiment, the above-described illumination device of the present invention comprises: a sensor section for measuring a predetermined information signal; an analysis section for analyzing a predetermined signal; an illumination control section; and an illumination output section.
In still another embodiment, the above-described illumination device of the present invention comprises: a data reception line; a reproduction section for reproducing a predetermined signal; a data storage device; an illumination control section; an illumination output section; and an image/sound output section, wherein the image/sound output section functions as the image display device.
In still another embodiment, the above-described illumination device of the present invention comprises: a reception section for receiving a predetermined signal; a reproduction section for reproducing the predetermined signal; an image/sound/illumination storage section; an image/sound/illumination control section; and an image/sound/illumination output section, wherein the image/sound/illumination output section functions as the image display device.
The reception section, the reproduction section, the image/sound/illumination storage section, the image/sound/illumination control section and the image/sound/illumination output section may be integrated.
Part of a light for display of the image output from the image display device may be used as illumination light.
A light source may be provided in a goggle type image display section.
An illumination output section and a sound output section may be integrated.
In one embodiment, the above-described illumination device of the present invention comprises a light source. The light source includes: a light emitting section; and at least one of a variable light color control section for variably controlling a light color of light emitted from the light emitting section, a variable luminous intensity distribution control section for variably controlling a light luminous distribution thereof, and a variable direction control section for variably controlling a direction thereof.
In another embodiment, the above-described illumination device of the present invention comprises an illumination appliance. The illumination appliance includes a light source; and at least one of a reception section, a data analysis section, a data mapping section, a sensor section, a reproduction section, a storage section, and a transmission section. The light source includes: a light emitting section; and at least one of a variable light color control section for variably controlling a light color of light emitted from the light emitting section, a variable luminous intensity distribution control section for variably controlling a light luminous distribution thereof, and a variable direction control section for variably controlling a direction thereof.
The above-described illumination device of the present invention may comprise at least one light source accommodated in a side of a body of the image display device.
Alternatively, the above-described illumination device of the present invention may comprise at least one light source accommodated in a frame of the image display device, the frame being positioned at a periphery of the screen of the image display device.
The above-described illumination device of the present invention may comprise at least one light source accommodated in the image display device, the at least one light source being removable.
In the above-described illumination control method of the present invention, the illumination may be controlled in association with a feeling of the appreciator appreciating the image display device in addition to the image displayed on the image display device.
In the above-described illumination control method of the present invention, a feeling of the appreciator may be monitored by measuring a brain potential or various types of biorhythms of the appreciator.
In the above-described illumination control method of the present invention, the illumination may be changed in association with a telephone or an interphone when a call is received by the telephone or interphone.
In the above-described illumination control method of the present invention, one or more light sources provided at a peripheral visual field may be controlled to represent an object color displayed on the screen.
In the above-described illumination control method of the present invention, a control mode of the illumination control may be selected in accordance with a preference of the appreciator.
In the above-described illumination control method of the present invention, data may be transmitted in a form of chromaticity information.
Alternatively, in the above-described illumination control method of the present invention, data may be transmitted in a device-dependent form so as to increase a data transmission rate.
The above-described illumination control method of the present invention further may comprise the step of controlling the illumination in accordance with speech information.
The above-described illumination control method of the present invention may comprise the steps of: storing an illumination control signal at a predetermined location; and realizing predetermined illumination control by reproducing the stored illumination control signal when the appreciator is appreciating the screen.
In the above-described illumination control method of the present invention, the illumination may be controlled in association with a feeling of the appreciator appreciating the image display device in addition to the image displayed on the image display device.
Preferably, a light emitting section is provided at a position wherein the light emitting section is shielded from the appreciator appreciating the image displayed on the image display device.
The above-described illumination device of the present invention may further comprise means for measuring a brain potential or various types of biorhythms of the appreciator.
In the above-described illumination device of the present invention, the illumination is changed in association with a telephone or an interphone when a call is received by the telephone or interphone.
In the above-described illumination device of the present invention, one or more light sources provided at a peripheral visual field may be controlled to represent an object color displayed on the screen.
The above-described illumination device of the present invention further includes a switching function in which a control mode of illumination control may be selected in accordance with a preference of the appreciator.
Data may be transmitted in a form of chromaticity information.
Alternatively, data may be transmitted in a device-dependent form so as to increase a data transmission rate.
The above-described illumination device of the present invention may further comprise means for controlling the illumination in accordance with speech information.
The above-described illumination device of the present invention may further comprise means for storing an illumination control signal. Predetermined illumination control may be realized by reproducing the stored illumination control signal when the appreciator is appreciating the screen.
According to the above-described illumination control method and illumination device of the present invention, illumination of an appreciation room is controlled in association with an image on an image display device so that the realism of the image displayed on the screen of the image display device can be enhanced.
In the above-described illumination control method, at least one of a level, a light color, a luminous intensity distribution, and a direction of light output from one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space may be controlled so that an illumination impression to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with an illumination impression of a virtual image space imaginarily created from the image displayed on the image display device.
Further, in the above-described illumination control method, at least one of a level, a light color, a luminous intensity distribution, and a direction of light output from one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space may be controlled so that at least one of a level and a light color, and distribution and direction thereof, of illumination of the appreciation space are made substantially coincident with that of a virtual image space imaginarily created from the image displayed on the image display device.
According to the present invention, a realism as if an appreciator exists in the scene of an image displayed on the screen of an image display device can be obtained using a simple means.